Catch Me If You Can
by Alyant1122
Summary: She was one of the few remaining arrancar, a hater of the soul society and a trained assassin under the hand of Aizen. But when she is confronted by a red-headed soul reaper her life begins to change immediately. For the better or for the worse, she was yet to know.
1. Chapter 1

Ever since the day we lost Lord Aizen, the world of Hueco Mundo has never been the same. For the few of us that weren't killed by the path of destruction laid out by that orange haired human and his friends, loneliness, fear and anger had ensued. It felt like every day now that the soul society was sending troops into our home to wipe out the final "abominations" as they called us and finally bring back the control they had when we ourselves were mere hollows.

"DAMN THEM TO HELL." I screamed. "LET ME SEE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM ROT BENEATH MY FEET."

"My Queen. Whilst I understand your anger we mustn't act on impulse, our numbers are dwindling at a rapid pace, perhaps we should just surrender."

I raised my eyebrow in disgust, my lilac hair falling over my face as beads of sweat formed at my temple. I gritted my teeth. "Did you say surrender." I growled, glaring hatefully at the skinny man kneeling before me, his onyx hair and bright yellow eyes reminding me so much of him. "Did you forget that they murdered your brother Mr Vega? Or may I remind you once again that because of those soul reapers we will NEVER have anything to remember him by."

"My Queen please. Ggio's gone, but you're alive. He knew well in joining that battle that he may not have come back alive, he did it to protect you."

"It should have been me."

"We go through this all the time My Queen. You were unwell."

"I WAS WEAK. It was just a training injury. It should have been me Ryuken.

"Everything happens for a reason My Queen. But our lives will get better. I just know it." I watched as Ryuken took his leave, trudging slowly down the hallway that once burst with such chance and prosperity, but now only reminded everyone of the stench of death that it had ultimately led their friends, family and loved ones towards. I tightened the bandage on my right arm as the blood continued to seep through. The latest ambush had been the biggest one yet, they had begun sending ranked soul reapers through. If not for the weakened state that the bald, spear wielding soul reaper was in when he attacked, I myself would have met a much worse fate. I stood from the throne that the other arrancars had so hastily ascribed to my name, I hated the title, but if it gave them some sort of comfort I was happy to fulfil it. For I was Aizen's next in line, the 'number 11' arrancar, I was one too weak for the ranks, but too strong to work as an underling so I committed my life to training, hoping that I would rise to the ranks one day myself. I just wish it hadn't been this way.

Standing from what was left of the once pristine throne, I moved towards a small study nook I had crafted for myself out of the castles rubble. The spot was small, with just enough space for my narrow frame to squeeze in and masque myself from the world. Along the stone walls, I had carved the names of all the arrancars that had survived the war. Picking up my piece of charcoal, I crossed out four more names. "Aliya, Viveen, Gannon, James. We will never forget the fight you gave us." I whispered to myself as tears welled down my cheeks. The only thing worse than the feeling of despair was the feeling of uselessness in dire circumstances.

I laid back, resting my head on a piece of cobblestone, feeling its cool texture as it sent shivers down my spine. It had grown late, though time really was only a commodity in Hueco Mundo, but I felt my eyes draw heavy and wished my way into a peaceful sleep. "Please forgive me my fallen comrades."

...

"With all due respect Captain Kurotsuchi, don't you think you've gathered enough research material." I said, staring at the abundance or collected sands, severed limbs and strange relics that decorated the squad 12 barrack floors.

"How foolish of you to make such assumptions. These are merely samples.I know they're hiding something."

"What else could they possible be hiding?" I asked, annoyed at his decision to call me here. "Ichigo practically blew half the place up, it's all just a pile of rubble."

Captain Kurotsuchi raised his eyebrow at my remark. "A pile of rubble?" He questioned. "Pathetic." He spat, lifting an arm off of his desk and poking at it maliciously.

"Then what are we looking for?" I persisted.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"If it were obvious, would I be standing here wasting my time asking you?" I growled. I could feel a headache coming along from the pure energy I was exerting trying to talk to this guy. The captain rolled his eyes, placing his materials back down, he moved towards me, standing uncomfortable close.

"A hogyoku, Mr Abarai. Now was that so hard."

"The hogyoku was fused with A-"

"I never said THE hogyoku. I said A hogyoku. You should work on checking those ears of yours."

"It's impossible."

"Have you not yet learnt that nothing is impossible."

"Then explain how on Earth the very thing that is locked up under the soul society is also meant to be in Hueco Mundo."

"Mr Abarai. We at squad 12 have reason to believe that Aizen was attempting to create a new hogyoku from the essence he was able to extract from the first."

"But why?"

"Will you let me finish." Captain Kurotsuchi barked. Taking a deep breath he continued. "We have reason to believe that he would have used it as a further enhancement to he strength that the first hogyoku brought him."

My eyes widened in both shock and disbelief. "But former Captain Urahara said that it was nearly impossible to create the first one the way it was."

"I never said it was identical, nor do I know if it really is a hogyoku. But as a form of enhancement for soul reapers and hollows alike it resembles the same qualities of the original."

"So it's a hogyoku but its not a hogyoku?"

"Will you just get on with your work." He snapped, "The troops are waiting for you outside, bring Nemu with you to store anything you find. I expect good news and good news only."

"But why do we need it?

"LEAVE."

"Sir." I nodded before taking my leave. When Captain Kuchiki told me he had found me some work to do I hadn't expected helping squad 12 with their research would be what he had chosen for me. I sighed. "When I'm captain I am never making my Lieutenant do all of these petty chores."

...

I awoke abruptly to a surge in spiritual pressure and the sounds of fighting from beyond the castles walls. I took a deep breath, seeking comfort in my mask that worked its way beneath my eyes and over the bridge of my nose and prepared for the worst once again as I heard the soft tap of feet stalking through the hallway.

"Hello, anybody home?" A young, male voice that I was unfamiliar with called out. I held my breath, studying his footsteps. He was alone. I would wait for him to pass, and ambush him once his back was turned. I sat as still as a mouse, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man, to size up my target before launching towards him.

His footsteps had grown louder, echoing in rhythm to my pounding heart. I was nervous, just like every other time, but I would not let them take away my home or any more of my friends. I leant forward in the nook, careful not to make a sound, and poked my head around, searching for the man. Only when I looked right in front of me did I see the red headed man, adorned with tribal tattoos staring back at me.

Never before had I thought a soul reaper to be beautiful as I did to the one staring back at me.


	2. Chapter 2

Never before had I thought a soul reaper to be beautiful as I did to the one staring back at me.

Regardless, he was a soul reaper and that meant he was an enemy of the arrancar. With all my might, I launched myself from the nook, pushing myself onto the soul reaper as I drew my longsword. I was a fox hunting in the night, just as I had been trained to be. My sword parried with his own as I made contact. He was fast. I gritted my teeth as the man projected a cocky smirk, his self-confidence could be seen like a beam shining through the night sky.

I despised it.

I growled, using the pressure from our collision to push myself back, I landed fast, catching my breath and launched at him again. I swung my sword low, aiming for his abdomen, but my attack was blocked once again. The man begun to push back at my force, his physical strength was mountainous compared to my own. I winced, the unhealed paid in my arm burning through my shoulder and down to my back. I pushed back, gritting my teeth at the force my body required to parallel the man, studying his face closely, I waited until his guard dropped, watching as his face turned softer with the complacency of the battle. Taking my chance, I dropped my form, rolling away from the slash of his blade as it sent shockwaves through the air. Within an instance I was back on my feet, I charged, using my Sonido to masque my steps. I felt as though I were once again soaring through the air as I crept toward my prey. Aiming low, I held my breath as I slashed my sword against the back of his knees. I watched in joy as the the metallic scent of blood filled the air, oozing from the mans legs as he let out a pained scream.

That was when I felt the blade that had impaled my stomach...

I coughed in pain as the man pulled the sword out slowly, blood trickled from my stomach and spurt from my mouth. I glared at the man, his legs were trembling, but he still stood tall. I could feel my vision blurring, but I was not letting myself give in. Propping myself against the broken walls, I took the blooded linen from my bandaged arm and begun wrapping it around my waist.

"It's seems as though we've underestimated one another." He commented slyly. "Renji Abarai." He said, holding out his hand. The nerve of this guy.

"You stab me through the stomach, and now you want to play friends?" I snapped.

"If I remember correctly. You attacked me first."

"And you invaded my home. Your point?"

The man pointed as if he were going to retaliate, his mouth opened wide in a form of deep thought, but it seemed as though he quickly dismissed the idea.

"Spit it out." I retorted.

"Yeah about that. Does I'm sorry help?"

"Does I'm sorry bring back the hundreds of my kind that your society has murdered in the last two weeks?"

Renji looked frozen in shock. His body was motionless, and if not for my attention to detail I wouldn't have noticed the slight quiver that possessed his lips.

"I didn't think so." I answered, my body was aching all over from the hole in my stomach, but I pushed forward. Raising my sword again, I once again aimed for the man's abdomen, knowing that he wouldn't expect the same attack twice. Expecting a counter, I closed my eyes, knowing that the pain from the force would push me over the edge. Despite my desire to end the fight quickly, I couldn't release my sword, it wasn't worth the risk of getting the others caught up in my crossfire.

My eyes widened in shock as the warm feeling of blood poured over my arms. There was no block, no counter attack or even an attempt at selfdefense. Only my sword piecing through the red haired soul reaper as he looked down to me with a sigh of pity. He hadn't moved an inch. His arms remained straight by his sides and his breathing almost more balanced than it was during the earlier battles. Hastily, I went to pull the sword from his stomach, my hands shaking uncontrollably as though they were a child's rattle toy. My eyes only widened further when Renji held the blade in his hands as if to tell me to stop.

"The soul society has a terrible habit of believing that all members of a race are evil if a singular person within that group proved themselves as our enemy. It was only brief but I too was an enemy of the society and I am no better of a person if I treat you as my enemy because of the pain my race has bought you." His eyes darkened as he pulled the sword from his stomach. "You have every right to want to murder my kind. But I don't have a reason to hurt you." He continued, raising his arms in the air as if to say he surrendered his sword dropping to the ground with a hard clank.

I stared at the man, my eyes wide. I was in a state of total disbelief, yet it felt as though I were paralysed from head to toe, my once nimble body was as stiff as a plank of wood. After what felt like an eternity of intensified staring, I stuttered, "I- I have to go." Before he had a chance to respond, I flashed out of site, finding myself the nearest nook of rubble that I could to try and sort out my injuries. I was bathed in blood, my own and Renji's. The colour of scarlet that usually brought me joy looked dull against my white uniform. For what felt like the hundredth time this week, I let out a cry of pain, tears threatening my face like the very war that was being fought outside.

"DAMN THESE SOUL REAPERS. DAMN THEM ALL."


	3. Chapter 3

The gash through my stomach continued to ooze out blood as I felt my head grow lighter by the second. Usually an injury this small would have only temporarily slowed my performance, but after the past two weeks of constant battles and limitless reinforcements from the soul society I had finally met my limits. Hiding within the rubble, I once again felt more powerless than a child, the strength that I had promised my friends as their queen was nothing but falsified confidence I instilled in them so that they would fight for me. "I'm a horrible person." I cried, my emotions finally taking control of me. My body trembled as though a volcano were erupting inside of me, each limb growing weaker by the second. "I guess this is the end." I whispered to myself before I felt my body begin to fade out.

...

I ran through the rubbled castle of Hueco Mundo trying desperately to find her, wherever she was, if I didn't save her quickly she would be done for.

Upon reporting outside to Nemu and our team the sight of the mutilated bodies had mortified me. Despite the few soul reapers that had been injured, the battle today had been a massacre of the final remaining arancars, the stench of death sickened me, sending a wave of nausea to my stomach. I doubled over, but quickly regained my composure before anyone could grow suspicions.

"Lieutenant Abarai. Did you find what we were looking for?" Nemu called out robotically.

"Not just yet, I heard the battle stop so I came to check up on everyone." I knew I was a terrible liar, but I hoped that it was enough to suffice. Despite my many attempts, I couldn't get the image of the lilac haired arrancar out of my mind. "If all is well, I would like to do a final scan of the castle before we return. I think Captain Kurotsuchi may have been correct. There's a strange presence inside." Beads of sweat formed along my hair-line as I tried not to fumble along my words.

"I'll have a team sent in with you." Nemu replied bluntly.

"NO." I shouted. "I mean, that's quite alright. I'm only going to be a few minutes and coordinating a team will take far to long." I justified, turning on my heel and re-entering the castle hastily.

"Lieutenant Abarai-"

"I'll see you in a few minutes." I called from behind, waving my arms furiously over my head. I hadn't bought myself much time, but it was enough. Closing my eyes, I evened out my breathing, searching for traces of spiritual pressure. Relaxing myself was nearly impossible in my present state, but I persisted, catching feeling of a small energy only a few rooms over. Without hesitation I took off like a cheetah, my determination was a driving force, pushing me through the pain. "I'm going to get in so much trouble if I'm caught." I mumbled to myself as I pressed the large, white doors open. Inside I saw what I assumed to have been the former meeting hall for the arrancar. The room was poorly lit, with a large round table in the centre. Most of the seats had been crumbled to rubble, but alone sat a singular white throne that mimicked too well the idealism of Aizen. I gritted my teeth, remembering the pain that he had brought to the soul society, especially to Momo.

"How can our kind produce such evil?" I sighed, falling into silence as though I were half expecting an answer. What I did receive though was the sound of shuffling from between a hole in the wall. "Gotta love being small I guess." I mumbled, heading toward the girls hideout as quietly and quickly as possible. Between my steps, I could make out the sound of her weakened sniffles, I could only imagine how my pain I and the other soul reapers had brought to her.

"I guess this is the end." She whispered, her voice that was so confident in our fight had grown weak.

I hastened my steps, peering into the nook to find the girl's pure skin and muscular figure tainted by blood and scars. Her breathing had grown so light as she fought to hold onto her life. "Oh no you don't." I answered, scooping her into my arms and placing her on the table in the rooms centre. Ripping the arm of my shihakusho into a bandage, I tied it tightly around her waist, trying my best to stop her from losing anymore blood. Taking more material, I cleaned the blood up from her face, admiring the soft freckles that seemed to trace around her hollow mask. "Please don't die." I begged as I placed her back in the hiding nook. Her breathing had grown more stable and I could only hope that she would wake up within her own time. "Don't let anyone know your here." I said before turning and heading back to my team.

"I'll come back for you. I promise."

...

Waking up was probably the most surprising part of my day, not counting the part where I thought a soul reaper to be attractive. I was sure that the blood loss was too much for my body to keep up with, but looking down at my waist, I was able to see potentially the only reason for my survival. A black shihakusho tied around me firmly, damp with blood, but holding enough pressure that the bleeding was able to come to an eventual stop. There was something strange about that soul reaper that I couldn't put my finger on, but the very thought of his intrusion into my home sent anger through my body.

And then I remembered...

The battle...

Jumping from my hiding spot, I felt a wince of pain shoot through my abdomen, but despite the fear of reopening the wound, my desperation to know the battles outcome overdrives me. But as I approach the entranceway the smell of rotting blood fills my nose as though it were a plaguing disease. My pace slows. Had I of known that the path of uncertainty would have caused me less pain, I believe I could have stayed locked up behind those doors forever. Yet in my desire to find answers, I pressed forward, pushing open the heavy doors as quickly as my body would permit me to and that's when I let out the most bone-chilling scream of them all.

The bodies of my comrades, were torn to shreds. Arms that should have been connected to bodies were strung from columns and buried in the sand. The faces of each bearing the same look of sadness as the next. I had failed them as their queen, I was not fit for leadership.

"IS ANYONE STILL ALIVE?" I screamed, awaiting a response that I knew would never come.

The last of my kind had been wiped from existence. I was the world's last arrancar.

...

"So what you mean to tell me Lieutenant Abarai is that you failed." Captain Kurotsuchi taunted.

"Well when you put it that way-"

"Well I don't see any other way to put it."

"I wouldn't necessarily call it a failure." I answered.

"Did you find the hogyoku?"

"No."

"Then stop making excuses." Captain Kurotsuchi barked.

"WILL YOU LET ME FINISH." I screamed, tired of the sickening backwards and forwards nature of talking to the captain brought.

He turned quiet at my frustration. "Well go on."

I knew I had to think on my feet now. Great, just great. "I have reason to believe that your theories may be correct sir."

"Not may, they are correct." He teased.

"Right. Well Sir..." I fumbled. "I have reason to believe that this hogyoku may be underneath the Heuco Mundo castle, and I came to ask for your permission for more time to try and recover it." I paused. "You see the tools that we had on site were not nearly enough to dig underneath the sand."

"Three days." Captain Kurotsuchi answered.

"What?"

"You have three days to prove yourself, after which I will pull you out from Heuco Mundo myself."

"Thank you sir, I'll gather my things." I answered.

"And you will go alone."

"To dig under an entire castle?" I retorted.

"I refuse to waste my men on your assumptions." He answered.

"Very well sir, I'll meet you here in an hour." I answered, turning towards the door. "Perfect." I mumbled to myself. That should be enough time to get her somewhere more safe.

...

As I lay in a pile of my own tears, the familiar feeling of our world's connecting passed over me again. "What else could they possibly want?" I sobbed, staring towards the split that had formed in the sky above me. Yet, rather than the roar or an army, all I saw was the elegant descent of the red headed soul reaper.

"You're going to wish you stayed away." I growled, my teeth clenched tight and my hand resting on the hilt of my sword. He said nothing in response as he continued to approach me, pulling a small wagon of supplies. "I mean it." I threatened as I began channeling my energy. I could feel a surge of power forming inside of me, my anger building like a hungry fire. Renji only stared at me and slowly began raising his sword before throwing it on the sand in front of him. Only an instant later he was bowing his head to me.

"If you would allow it." He began. "I would like to express my deepest apologies, the soul society has has once again caused more harm than good."

"You call this harm." I growled, pointing towards the bodies that lay in front of me.

Renji refused to make eye contact with me. "I know nothing I say can fix this, but the soul society is looking for something, and I want you to help me destroy it. They had no right to do this to your kind" He claimed.

Despite my sadness, I could feel the pull of a smirk forming on my lips. I gave him a small nod. "Guess we better start digging then."


End file.
